John's Gift Guide: 5 Picks I Actually Fish (2025/2026)

It’s easy to talk about the things you love, and every item in this lineup has earned a permanent spot in my own kit. From high-octane saltwater rods to smooth, reliable reels, minimalist packs, bomber flats boots, and purpose-built fly lines, these are the pieces of gear I actually fish, trust, and recommend, no fluff, just honest truth.

1) Winston Air 2 Max 

"Fast Action, Easy Casting, Super High Performance"

"The new standard of what a saltwater rod should feel like. The best of both worlds, flex and feel with quick tip recovery equaling high line speed and accuracy. Easily place your fly accurately on shorter cast and yet, have the power to pick up for a quick re-cast with distance if necessary. Casting for distance is no problem, the Air 2 Max performs cast of 70 - 80' with nearly no effort. Has plenty of reserve power for greater distances and casting in windy conditions where high line speed is a must. Whether you're blind casting trying to cover as much water as possible or if you are tactfully sight fishing and only cast a dozen time in a day, the Air 2 Max will keep you fresh and ready to fish the next day."

NOTE: the Air 2 Max 6wt is an OUTSTANDING streamer rod!

Why It's Gift Worthy:

• Winston Flex & Feel in a true Saltwater taper.
• Rods range from 6wt (streamer, light saltwater) to 12 (big guns).
• Light in hand and an absolute pleasure to cast.

Who's it for: Any Streamer Junkie (6 or 7wt) to the tournament Silver Kings (Tarpon) fisherman and anything in between. There's an appropriate rod for what you love to fish for.

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2) Galvan Grip G-8

"Exceptionally Made, Fully Sealed Drag, Little Maintenance, Great Price."

"Not a "New" reel, but a great reel. Value for the money is refreshing. When it comes to saltwater reels specifically, quality and prices can vary. You could lose your mind buying a saltwater reel. They can be as expensive as your rod. The Galvan Grip combines very high quality with very nice price point for what you get. For me, my reel is a tool and it needs to do its job. The Galvan Grip has never let me down. The silky smooth sealed drag is powerful to boot. Big fish, whether on the flats or your favorite steelhead or salmon stream, require a smooth drag system. I also love the XL Drag knob for additional torque when needed and it just makes it easier to find the handle in the heat of the battle."

Why It's Gift Worthy:

• Made in the U.S.A. - Galvan's long track record of producing proven products.
• Powerful, Smooth Sealed Drag System.
• Large Arbor Spool Design Allows for greater line pickup.
• XL Handle for ease of finding and additional torque when needed.

Who's it for: BIG DREAMS shouldn't necessarily come with BIG PRICE TAGS. Anyone in need of a quality reel that won't empty their savings account is a prime candidate for a Galvan Grip reel. A lot to love here!

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3) Fishpond Thunderhead Submersible Lumbar - Small

"Ultimate Waterproof Hip Pack, Light & Compact, Built for Comfort."

"If you're like me, the bigger the pack the more I tend to carry, even if I don't need it. I bought a smaller hip pack for "Force" me to downsize and carry on the essential items for the moment. The Fishpond Thunderhead Submersible Lumbar Small pack has been "Perfect" for me. I added the Fishpond Water Bottle holder to the belt to keep me hydrated, which is important and absolutely necessary! I can fit several fly boxes, an assortment of leaders and tippet material, small tube of sunscreen, lip balm, sun glasses cleaner, fly line cleaner, my cell phone, and more in this little gem. By thinking and condensing and only taking the absolute essentials with me I have been able to cut the weight of my pack considerably. This is a great thing when you are on the flats all day."

Why It's Gift Worthy:

• 100% Waterproof with its self-healing TRU-Zip Zipper. You can't squeeze the air out of the pack when it's fully zipped!
• Accessory attachment points allowing you to "Add On".  Think, Water Bottle Holder, Pliers, Tippet Holders...
• Light padded shoulder strap with tool attachment points.

Who's it for: Anyone fishing the flats anywhere in the world. It's for the minimalist fisherman who only wants to carry the essentials.

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4) Korkers Salt Sneaker Wading Boot

"Ultimate Comfort, Quick Drying, Durable."

The Korkers Salt Sneaker has been a very popular flats boot since it was introduced late 2024 early 2025 and in it's short history has proven itself. A very comfortable boot that you can easily spend all day in. It's grippy traction is also a plus. Made of  Abrasion Resistant and Hydrophobic materials that are durable and quick to dry. Probably the most comfortable flats boot on the market today.

Why It's Gift Worthy:

• Amazing Comfort
• Quick Drying to help prevent spread of invasive species
• Durable

Who's it for: The flats aficionado that travels the world or the first time flats fisher. Although I have not yet tried them while carp fishing, my expectations are that they would work well unless your in thick mud.

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5) Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Bonefish Plus

"Extended Head Length, Half Size Heavy, Cast Long Leaders With Ease."

Fishing the flats for Bonefish is challenging. You're almost always dealing with some kind of wind or any number of other variants. Having a line half sized heavier allows you to cast better in those windy conditions. It's very important to present your fly well, especially over spooky fish. Imagine if you will, you're on a flat, you see some Bones working your way, the wind is howling and you have one shot to cast well in front of them so as not to spook them. The wind is coming right at you off your strong hand side, your cast will most likely be a cack handed one. To keep your fly on target, you'll need a line that loads your rod quickly and cast better in the wind.  You'll need to have tight loops to help penetrate that wind. A good double haul is helpful and comes into play as well to help with your line speed. Success, you got the job done and the Bonefish ate. Fish on! Anyone who has ever fished a flat for Bones in windy conditions understands the value of a intentionally designed fly line to help the angler seize the moment. That combined with a good cast, mission accomplished.

Why It's Gift Worthy:

• Intentionally designed with a long head for use with longer leaders, yet delivers the fly delicately.
• Features AST Plus Slickness Additive which increases shooting ability and makes the line more durable.
• Designed specifically for tropical situations with a stiff core for castability.

Who's it for: Anyone heading to flats where Bonefish like to feed. Cast with confidence. Although specifically designed for tropical Bonefish, I believe that it would work well in warmer climates for species like carp.

Purchase Now

"It's easy to talk about the things you love. Every product listed below is in my personal arsenal. I use them and I love them. No fluff, just honest truth." - John

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Charlie’s Gift Guide: 5 Picks I Actually Fish (2025/2026)

These aren’t catalog blurbs—I’ve fished or lived in this gear. If you’re shopping for someone who swings flies, hikes banks, or sneaks trout after work, start here. — Charlie

1) Winston AIR 2 TH (Spey Rods)

“Spectacular feel, feather-light, huge range”

“Winston has been knocking it out of the park the last few years. They have the best lineup of rods they've ever built, and the addition of Air 2 TH is a HUGE cherry on top. I've had the pleasure of fishing these rods a ton this fall and they are absolutely spectacular! Ultralight with unparalleled hand-to-line feel. Slim grips. Great size run to cover everything from smaller one salt steelhead on up to chinook. This may very well end up being one of the best series of Spey rods ever built.”

Why it’s gift-worthy:

• Modern Winston feel with true two-hand finesse.

• Sizes to cover summer steelhead up to Chinook.

• Light swing weight = less fatigue, more fishing.

Who it’s for: Spey anglers who appreciate feel and feedback (not broomsticks).

Charlie’s quick tip: Match with a balanced Scandi for summer, Skagit + T-11/T-14 for winter.

 

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2) Grundéns Boundary Zip Stockingfoot Waders 

“Articulate better than anything”

“I've been running these waders hard for a few years now and love 'em! I'm not a Deschutes wet wader as I like something protecting my legs out in the ledges and walking through the blackberries. These waders manage to keep me as cool as possible in the summer heat. Plus, they articulate better than anything on the market making climbing out of boats and over logs a breeze.”

Why it’s gift-worthy:

• Front zip = easy on/off and quick ‘nature break’.

• Great articulation for step-overs and steep banks.

• Cool enough for summer, tough enough for brush.

Who it’s for: Boat hoppers, bank scramblers, and anyone who values a zip front.

Charlie’s quick tip: Size for girth/boot first; length is forgiving.

 

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3) Fishpond Thunderhead Chest Pack (Eco Shale) 

“Finally the right size”

“Sometimes you need something small to carry the bare essentials. Historically speaking, I've had a love/hate relationship with chest packs. They were either too small to hold anything or so big they're always in the way. The Thunderhead Chest Pack is the ideal size to carry what you need yet stay out of the way when casting. This is a great option on the flats when you jump out of a boat to wade a spot for an hour or two and want to have enough spare flies and terminal tackle. Also good for all types of road fishing when your rig is never too far away.”

Why it’s gift-worthy:

• Submersible main pocket keeps essentials dry.

• Minimal bulk; still fits a couple boxes + leaders.

• Crosses over from trout to flats.

Who it’s for: Wade-light anglers and travel/road-fishing folks.

Charlie’s quick tip: Add Fishpond’s bottle holder or rod holder to the lash points for a tidy kit.

 

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4) Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Infinity 

“My personal favorite”

“You can't keep a good line down! S.A.'s Amplitude Smooth Infinity is right at the top of the list for the best all-around trout line and happens to be my personal favorite. A shiny new line always makes the angler in your life smile!”

Why it’s gift-worthy:

• Half-size heavy taper loads fast, carries long.

• Real “one line does most things” for trout.

• New line = instant rod upgrade.

Who it’s for: Any trout angler with a 4–6 wt who fishes a bit of everything.

Charlie’s quick tip: Pair with a 9–12 ft 4X–6X leader; wipe the line clean every few trips for max slickness.

 

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5) RIO Elite Skagit Pickpocket 

“Slow that swing to a crawl”

“I love these heads for winter Steelhead. At 20', they cast very well on shorter rods and really slow your swing down to a crawl. And do not be afraid of the Sink 3/Sink 5/Sink 7 dredger. When you really need to get down and stay down, this head does the job. It casts surprisingly well for how heavy it is.....just don't let your anchor settle too long before you go!”

Why it’s gift-worthy:

• Compact 20' head = easy load on modern, shorter speys.

• Multi-density options keep flies down and in the lane.

• Winter steelhead confidence booster.

Who it’s for: Two-hand anglers facing cold flows, ledges, and pushy seams.

Charlie’s quick tip: Don’t let the anchor marinate—lift and go; start with 10' T-11 and adjust.

 

Purchase Now

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Need sizing or line pairing?

Call us at (541) 386-6977 or email—tell us the rod, water, and flies, and we’ll rig it right. We can even spool backing/line and ship ready to fish! 

 

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2025 Winston Single Hand Rods - A Fresh Look!

Why the Latest R.L. Winston Rods Deserve a Fresh Look
For decades, Winston’s green rods have had a legendary "feel" — so distinct that experienced anglers could pick one out blindfolded. But something exciting is happening in Twin Bridges...
Winston has taken a bold leap forward. The iconic feel remains, but today's lineup adds new performance, power, and versatility across the board. Whether you're a dry fly fanatic, a stillwater tactician, or a saltwater warrior, there’s a new Winston rod dialed in for your pursuit.
 

Highlights:
Pure 2: Still buttery, now with backbone. A dream for dry fly purists with surprising muscle in wind.
Air 2: Light, deadly accurate, and now available in 7 and 8wt  —  perfect for single-hand steelhead.
Air 2 Reach: Built for nymphers and stillwater anglers. Long, strong, and ultra-manageable.
Air 2 Max: Winston’s best saltwater/big game rod ever. Lightweight power that plays nice with a variety of lines.
 

If you’ve loved Winston for its feel, get ready to love it for performance too.
Read the Full Article about Winston's - The All-Star Team!

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Winston Pure 2 Fly Rods

100% MORE FEEL. 100% MORE HEART.

Introducing the new PURE 2 - crafted for fly anglers who demand both precision and joy on the water. Building on our 95 - year legacy of excellence of crafting the world's finest fly rods for trout, this rod embodies the essence of the "Pure" fly fishing experience: a deep connection to fly fishing and free from distractions.

THE PURE 2: CRAFTED IN THE HEART OF TROUT COUNTRY:

Introducing the new PURE 2 - meticulously crafted for anglers who demand precision and performance on the water. The name “Pure” is an intense and unfiltered feeling of happiness that arises from all the genuine love and connection we experience fishing. This continuation of the “Pure” name reflects our commitment to crafting a rod that enhances the connection between angler and water, free from distractions and complications.

For the last five decades, we’ve been headquartered in the middle of Trout Country, on the banks of the legendary Jefferson, Beaverhead, Big Hole, and Ruby Rivers, each serving as our incredible R&D lab. Our proximity to these world - class trout waters has helped us authentically craft premium, application specific rods to help anglers present dry flies to picky fish and feel a sense of joy and freedom.

Paired with a Bauer RVR Fly Reel

For 2025, we’re pleased to introduce the latest edition of Trout Country, the new PURE 2, adding to a legacy of building the world’s most beautiful rods for the most technical fisheries, to match your own genuine love, connection, and experience to fly fishing’s purest form.

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Choosing Your First Fly Rod For Trout

Updated 6/2022

Are you new to fly fishing? Do you need some help with that first trout outfit? I will attempt to simplify it for you with this little write up.

The most versatile trout rod is no doubt a 9’ 5 weight fly rod. You will have a 9’ 5 wt. in your quiver for the rest of your life. There are a lot of rods to choose from and it can be very confusing. It is also very easy to get the wrong equipment, which makes learning a nightmare.

The biggest mistake beginners make is they think they will not benefit from better equipment. This is false. It is much easier to learn to cast, and cast more efficiently, the better a rod and line work together. You will also save some money down the road if you start out with good equipment, instead of constantly buying new equipment and doing little upgrades.

When choosing a rod you want an action that is easy to cast but still has enough power when conditions demand it. The action of a rod, or the taper, is where the major flex point of the rod is. The slower the rod is (flex point is closer to the cork) the easier a rod is to cast. The faster a rod is (flex point is closer to the tip) the harder a rod is to cast. These tapers range from Slow to Ultra Fast. In today's rods I generally like to start someone with a Medium Fast to Fast rod. Matched with the right line, a rod like this is very versatile. So with that said how do we know the action of the rod? Many rod companies list their tapers, in which not always are those tapers standard with the rest of the industry. Most anglers shake the rod and look at the flex point, this DOES NOT WORK on today's rods. A rod using a more efficient material may not flex much under its own weight, but may flex deep when a fly line is put on it. Really this is where finding someone that knows their stuff about fly rods pays off.

Once you find rods with the right type of action for you now it is time to know the difference between all the different price levels. The biggest factor in cost is how efficient the material to build the rod is, this is really how advanced the technology is. Generally the more advanced the technology in the material, the more expensive the rod. What does this material do? There are many great benefits to better materials used in a fly rod, but the biggest is ease of casting. The more efficient the material is, the more power, accuracy and most of all, the more feedback you get out of a rod. This all makes learning to cast easier.

Keep this in mind on rods, a decent low end rod today is around $99.99. If you go with the newest and best rod available you can spend as much as $1100.00. About every $200.00 you spend over that low end rod you will see a big technology difference that you can really feel. $50.00 jumps generally don’t gain you much.

Fly lines will make or break today's rods. Put the wrong fly line on a great rod and the rod will not cast very easy. Without getting deep into the hundreds of different tapers in lines available today, I will just say matching the right line to the right rod is huge. Trust in qualified, experienced fly shop staff to help you through this process.

Reels are important but should be the last part of a trout outfit that money is spent. Don’t get me wrong I believe in high quality reels. Good reels last longer and they are smoother, but the rod and line should be first priority. If you purchase a high quality rod and still have enough in the budget to get a really good reel then do so, you won’t be sorry.

Here are a few of our top picks for all around 9’ 5 weight 4 pieces fly rod outfits. Many of these we put together ourselves and have chosen these for their value to performance and ease of casting. Are there other rods/outfits, yes we sell thousands of different rods of which they all have their purpose and place. If you don’t see the rod or outfit you are looking for check with us, we probably have it and can help you with it.

Trav

Gorge Fly Shop's favorite 9' 5 weight outfits

Sage R8 Core 590-4 Trout Kit

G. Loomis Asquith 590-4 Outfit

Winston Air II 590-4 Outfit

G. loomis NRX+ LP 590-4 Outfit

G. Loomis IMX Pro 590-4 Outfit

Sage Foundation 590-4 Outfit (GFS Style)

Shop All GFS Select Kits...

Read More Gorge Fly Shop Buyer's Guides

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Winston Air 2 - New 9'6" Models Added

Just got in a Winston Air 2 in the 4wt, 9'6" model. This model features a full wells grip along with the standard Burled Wood insert with Nickel Silver Hardware. The 9'6" configuration also comes in 5 and 6 weights. 

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Winston Tom Morgan Favorite in stock for the moment

Just In! The Winston Tom Morgan Favorite has been steadily growing to become the favorite of many trout anglers. We've been trying to keep one in stock but they tend to sell out very quickly. 

Just got this one in...grab it while you can. Would be an awesome gift idea for your discerning angler. 

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Bonefish Gear

Choosing the right bonefish outfit

So you just booked that dream trip to tropical paradise to go bonefishing. Now what you need to know about the gear, because proper gear selection can make or break a trip. So while we go through the gear remind yourself that the saltwater flats are generally very windy, accuracy is critical and you need to make quick cast.

In choosing the right rod there are a few things you need to know and be honest about. First most bonefish are caught with cast between 30’ and 50’. I will stress that accurate cast at 30’ to 50’ will catch far more bonefish then sloppy cast at 60’. Second you need to be honest about your casting ability. If you are not you will probably get the wrong rod or line, or both. A true distance caster generally is looking for a completely different line if not rod than the average caster. I am going to figure that most reading this are in the 95% of average casters, 60’ would be a long cast for most. 

Rod 

When picking out the right rod you will need a rod that builds high line speed, but still loads easy. Line speed is what gives you accuracy and the power to pierce the wind. With that said you don’t want a rod that the taper is so stiff that you cannot feel the rod loading.

Budget is really going to dictate this more than anything. As the price of the rod goes up, generally they are built with a lighter, stronger quicker reacting graphite. This allows the manufacturer to build the rod with a little more forgiving taper making the rod easier to cast. Yet the graphite will react quicker producing higher line speed.

As the cost of the rod goes down, the manufacturer cannot use as efficient of graphite. In this case you will generally give up the ease of casting. This is due to the rod having to produced with a stiffer taper to meet the demands of saltwater. If the rod is not designed with a stiffer taper it is most likely lacking in the power that is needed for the flats.

As for the size of the rod, I would recommend a 9’ 8 weight rod. This tends to be the best all around bonefish rod. You can go lighter if you are just fishing for smaller bones and heavier if you are targeting really big bones.

My favorite bonefish rods tend to be; Sage X 890-4, G.Loomis Asquith 890-4, Winston Air Salt 890-4. All three of these tend to build really good line speed, yet load easier than most saltwater rods. 

Lines 

Bonefish live in a tropical environment so make sure you get tropical lines. If you take a coldwater line down to the tropics you are going to be disappointed. Line taper makes or breaks the performance that you are looking for out of your rod. For most bonefish conditions I like the shorter heavier tapers for bonefish. These allow me to load the rod quickly with just one or two false cast. There is no time on the flats to make 3, 4 or 5 false cast. My favorite shorter head lines are; RIO Bonefish Quickshooter, RIO Flats Pro, Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Grand Slam.

Reels 

I did list reels last, because they are important, but the rod and line should come first. Now with that said I will stress how hard saltwater is on fly reels. Also keep in mind that the fish in saltwater tend to peel line off of a reel much faster than in freshwater. There are a lot of really popular well known reels that get destroyed when fished in saltwater. There are many factors that cause reel failure. The most common is cheap guts inside the reel. Just because a reel is called sealed, water can still find its way into the drag system. This is when you find out that the couple bucks the manufacturer saved on bearings really bites you. Sometimes these failures don’t show up on your first trip to the salt, they show up after the reel has sat with saltwater in it for a year or so. Washing your reel good with freshwater every night helps, but it does not get all the salt out. Especially if the salt gets inside a supposed sealed drag.

I look for several things in a reel. I want the reel to have a large arbor, bigger the better. I want it to still be lite. I need a strong, smooth drag. Most of all I want a reel that stands up in saltwater. There are lots of really great reels out there, but here are a few of my favorites; Nautilus NVG 8/9 or 7/8, Nautilus CCFx2 6/8 or 8/10, Sage Spectrum Max 7/8.

I hope this helps a little in getting set up right for your next bonefish outing. I could easily write several pages on just rods or lines or reels, but I figured short and sweet would be better. We are always here to help you with any questions.
Trav

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Winston Nimbus Fly Rods - New for 2018

Incredibly Smooth Casting!

Presenting the Nimbus from Winston - a completely new design inspired by our premium Boron rods. Using the same multi modulus graphite as our Boron rods along with versatile mid-tip flex tapers, the Nimbus provides all the core attributes and qualities one has come to expect from a Winston. Incredibly smooth casting, the Nimbus' progressive action delivers unmatched all-graphite performance, with both the power and finesse to fish even the most challenging situations. Offered in a full range of freshwater, saltwater, and spey models, Nimbus Fly Rods are finished in a beautiful Big Sky Blue color and sport premium componentry and our renowned handwritten rod inscription. Proudly designed and produced in Twin Bridges, Montana, the Nimbus is simply the best all-graphite fly rod on the market.

Features -

• Lightweight, ultra-smooth
• Progressive fast action
• Versatile mid-tip flex taper
• Multi Modulus Graphite
• Big Sky Blue impact resistant finish
• Superior graphite performance in a complete line-up of trout, salt and spey rods
• Designed and produced in Twin Bridges, MT
• WEIGHTS: 3wt. thru 10wt.
• ACTION: Fast
• SECTIONS: 4
• GUIDES: Chrome nanolite stripper guide/light wire snake guides on 3wt. thru 5wt. Chrome nanolite stripper guide/chrome plated snake guides on 6wt. thru 10wt.
• REEL SEAT: Frosted white anodized aluminum with burled wood insert on 3wt. through 5wt. Titanium anodized aluminum with Winston signature logo on 6wt. through 10wt.
• STORAGE: Grey powder-coated aluminum tube with Winston signature logo

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Winston Kairos Fly Rods - New for 2018

Just Arrived:

The New Winston Kairos is an all graphite rod with modern, fast action designed as a multi-purpose lightweight versatile rod proudly built in Twin Bridges, Montana USA. Winston Kairos rods are finished in clear graphite with Winston green thread wraps and a hand written inscription.

Features

• Lightweight, multipurpose rod
• Modern fast action tip flex with quick recovery
• 100% graphite technology
• Clear Graphite impact resistant finish
• Versatile tapers to handle a multitude of angling applications
• Designed and produced in Twin Bridges, MT
• WEIGHTS: 3wt. through 10wt.
• ACTION: Fast
• SECTIONS: 4
• GUIDES: Chrome nanolite stripper guide/Chrome plated snake guides
• REEL SEAT: Black anodized aluminum engraved with Winston signature logo.
• STORAGE: Grey triangular Cordura tube embroidered w/ Winston signature logo.

Specs -

Rod	Line Weight	Length	Grip
386-4	3	8'6"	Cigar
486-4	4	8'6"	Cigar
490-4	4	9'	Cigar
586-4	5	8'6"	Cigar
590-4	5	9'	Cigar
690-4	6	9'	Full Wells w/Fighting Butt
790-4	7	9'	Full Wells w/Fighting Butt
890-4	8	9'	Full Wells w/Fighting Butt
990-4	9	9'	Full Wells w/Fighting Butt
1090-4	10	9'	Full Wells w/Fighting Butt

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R. L. Winston Tour

Travis Duddles - Montana Trout Stream

You may have heard the term “It’s a Winston” or “It has that Winston feel” stated like it is something really special. Trust me there is something to this feel! Many anglers put these rods above all others, but why? Winston rods are not always the most powerful, lightest or cutting edge technology so why are they put on such a pedestal? The most common response is it has the Winston feel. Winston just has a feel that is hard to find in other rods. Comfortable and smooth! On a recent trip to Montana I discovered where that feel comes from and so much more!

It all started several months ago when Eric Neufeld our Winston sales representative and good friend called to invite me to the Winston Confluence. The Winston Confluence was something Winston put together to bring a few select sales reps and dealers together in Twin Bridges Montana. This is the home of R. L. Winston Rod Company. The plan was to bring all of us together, give us a inside tour of Winston that they never do. Yes they do tours, but this would be a special one. Winston wanted to let us see all steps of production, even the processes that were top secret! They also wanted to show us the direction they are heading and get all of our feedback good or bad. So after hearing the plan I was quick to say "I'm in!"

I flew into Bozeman, Montana where I met up with Adam and Jeff from Winston along with a couple of other dealers and sales reps from around the country and Canada. We all hopped in Adam’s and Jeff’s trucks heading towards Twin Bridges Montana. It didn’t take long to realize this was going to be fun group of guys and was going to be a great trip. After a hour and half drive we were in the small town of Twin Bridges, a classic little Montana farm town. Our lodging for the next few days was a small apartment building provided to us by 4 Rivers Fly Shop. This apartment building is where they house their clients during the guiding season.

The next morning we walked down the street to the R. L. Winston factory. The Winston factory is in a steel building on the edge of town, not quite as big as I thought it would be. When we walked through the front door into the small entry way slash show room we were greeted by Adam. Adam is the person you generally get when you call Winston. Adam was busy answering the phones as usual. While we waited I took the chance to scan through the complete line up of Winston rods displayed in the front entry. I scanned the rods every once in a while seeing a model that I had not cast or fished yet, which now sparked my interest to fish that rod. With most of my fishing being with two handed rods for Steelhead, I realized I have never fished the Boron III LS 9’ 5 weight. That would change later that day.

Lew Stoner

After a quick breakfast Jeff and Adam were ready to take us on our tour. It started in the Winston museum with the history of how Winston got started. Do you know who R. L. Winston is? There is no R. L. Winston, there were actually two original founders Robert Winther and Lew Stoner. R. L. Winston is a combination of their names; R for Robert, L for Lew, Win for Winther, Ston for Stoner. Put it together and you get R. L. Winston. Adam tells us how every year a few old timers come by and talk about meeting and visiting with Mr. Winston and that they knew him personally. Now we know there was never a Mr. Winston at R. L. Winston.

The Museum was amazing, but the best was about to begin. Annette Mclean who is the rod designer at Winston appeared to take us on our factory tour. We stepped through the door where the entire Winston rod staff was waiting to greet us. It did not take long to tell that these people love working at the R.L Winston factory. Most were smiling ear to ear. From there we went from station to station to see all the steps it takes to build a Winston fly rod. There is so much attention to detail and quality at the Winston factory and that is the difference that makes a Winston fly rod different from the rest. One such example of the attention to detail is the inscription “Barb” has personally been hand inscribing the Winston rods for 15 years. Yes, all of them are hand inscribed!

At this point on the tour I can’t tell you much about what we saw. Let’s just say we got to see lots of cool stuff behind closed doors. Annette talked to us a lot about the design of a Winston rod, the tapers and the materials. I have to say Annette has an amazing amount of knowledge when it comes to rod design and the cool part is she is so humble about it. Annette even let us cast some prototypes that are in the works, can’t tell you anymore, but I can tell you that they are always looking for the next best rod!

Reel Seats

As we all gathered at the end of the tour it all made sense now why Winston fly rods can be in short supply at times. As dealers we tend to get upset when we cannot get a rod for a customer, we need it now but with Winston's attention to detail and quality it takes a little more time to produce a rod. All Winston Employees take great pride and respect in the rods they build and their commitment to the company brings forth a feeling in the Winston factory that resembles family. I guess we have to remember the next time a Winston is on backorder that if you want this type of quality sometimes you just have to wait. We all left that afternoon excited, wanting a new Winston fly rod.

We went back to the lodge and geared up for a couple hours of fishing on the Ruby River. Eric asked “what rod I would like to fish?”. I quickly replied “the BIII LS 9’ 5 Wt.” Once we grabbed our gear we raced to the Ruby, we only had a few hours until we return to the Winston factory for a BBQ.

After a 20 minute drive we ended up at one of Adam and Jeff’s favorite spot on the Ruby River. Eric, Jeff and I headed up river and on the first run I handed the rod to Eric to let him have first cast. Rigged with a dry dropper set up he quickly caught a nice brown trout. It was my turn, I made a few cast, I quickly forgot about fishing. Casting the LS on a small river like this was a dream, it is so smooth, loads easy, very nice! Ok! Snap out of it, time to catch a fish. We worked our way up to the next run, first cast I hooked and landed a nice rainbow. With its deeper flex the LS plays fish very nice also.

Brownie

Eric and I quickly forgot all about the streamer rod we brought with us and took turns casting and catching fish with the LS. This continued for about 2 hours, many cast, many fish, but most of all the enjoyment of casting the LS. The LS was the perfect rod for this size river with plenty of power for the hopper dropper set up yet still very capable of a delicate presentation.

Our time was up and it was time to head back to the Winston factory for a BBQ. When we showed up burgers were all ready grilling. Some of the staff had stayed late to make dinner for us and the gentleman cooking even raided his own freezer supplying the elk burger for our dinner that night. It was an enjoyable evening, great company, great food and cold beer.

After dinner Jeff brought us all back to our lodging where we had a round table about Winston rods. We discussed the pros and cons of Winston rods. What is needed? What trends we see coming and so on. After the discussion was all over Jeff presented to the four of us authorized dealers with a very special, very limited custom R. L. Winston Boron IIIx rod that does not exist on the market, the “Silver Label”. This rod was your standard Boron IIIx, but dressed and finished completely different from your traditional Winston. We were all stunned we did not expect this, it was a very special surprise. Remember this does not exist so don’t ask you cannot get one. In fact we were warned if any of us sold one of these we would be banned from getting personal rods from Winston for life!

The next day we were greeted by guides from the 4 Rivers Fly Shop, this was our last day of fishing before heading back home. Eric and I were off to the Jefferson with our guide Joe Willauer. Joe said that we would be fishing a lot of streamers that day on the Jeff, searching for those big hogs that live in its waters. He had us start off though with nymphs below and indicator where I got to break my Silver Label in on a few nice trout.

We then shifted over to some bigger 6 weight rods and started chucking streamers. The day started off a little slow with streamers, but quickly improved. We caught several nice 14 to 18 browns and rainbows by the end of the day. We both had fish on over 20 inches, but they were never landed. That is why you fish the Jefferson though, not for quantity, but for the chance to land a real pig, maybe even over 30 inches!!! Not that day, but I will fish it again, next time I will have my 11’ 4 weight Winston MicroSpey with me though. That is my favorite streamer rod, no sore shoulder when I am done.

It was sad to see the trip come to an end. The next day we all headed home, back to our families and work. I left this trip with a much more appreciation of Winston and their fly rods. I have always fished Winston’s and enjoyed them but now I really understand that extra mile put into the attention to detail to every Winston fly rod. That gives you that much better of feeling when you pick your rod up. Speaking of that I am going to grab my Winston and go catch a few big Crane Prairie rainbows!

Travis Duddles
Owner and CEO | Gorge Fly Shop
541.386.6977

"Fly Fish the World with Us"